Respiratory induction is helpful in treating a wide range of disordered breathing and respiratory conditions that involve disruption to the normal respiratory cycle. Respiratory induction may be necessary while the patient is asleep or while the patient is awake. However, some of the more common types of disordered breathing occur while the patient is asleep.
Apnea is a relatively common form of disordered breathing characterized by interruptions to a patient's breathing. Often, the interruptions to breathing occur during sleep, at which time the disorder is called sleep apnea. Breathing cessation may occur numerous times during sleep, in some cases hundreds of times a night and for up to a minute or longer. Sleep apnea has multiple classifications based on the source of the dysfunction.
For example, Central sleep apnea (CSA) results from neurological dysfunction, while obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) results form a mechanical blockage of the airway. The mechanical blockage may be due, for example, to fatty neck tissue compressing the trachea. Mixed sleep apnea (MSA) has a combination of mechanical and neurological causes. In addition to sleep apnea, there are other types of disordered breathing including hypopnea (shallow breathing), hypernea (heavy breathing), tachypnea (rapid breathing), dyspnea (labored breathing) and orthopnea (difficulty breathing when lying down). There is a high comorbidity between sleep apnea and congestive heart failure.
Cheyne-Stokes respiration is a specific form of abnormal breathing resulting in apneic intervals. Cheyne-Stokes respiration is characterized by progressively deeper and sometimes faster breathing that is followed by a gradual decrease in tidal volume, resulting in a temporary stoppage in breathing. Hence, Cheyne-Stokes respiration has been described as an oscillation of ventilation between apnea and hypernea.
Various treatments exist for sleep apnea and other disordered breathing including drugs, surgery, and medical device treatments including, for example, using a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine. The type of treatment depends on the type and severity of the breathing disorder.